Traditionally, telecommunication services, such as local, long distance, Internet, cellular services, etc., have been bought and sold through the interaction of people. Typically, the buy-sell process takes one of two forms: (1) a buyer determines the necessary telecommunication service requirements and contacts one or more sellers of these services; or (2) a seller proactively solicits the buyer, who may or may not be ready to purchase the services.
For larger-sized companies, the service requirements are usually complex and the buyer sophisticated. Therefore, the first form typically predominates (i.e., a buyer initiates the communication with a seller in these instances). For small and medium-sized companies, as well as for consumers, the service requirements are usually much less complex and the buyer less sophisticated. Therefore, the second form typically predominates. The seller contacts the buyer via different methods, such as door-to-door canvassing, telemarketing, direct mailing, advertising, etc.
There are two apparent problems with the conventional buy-sell process. First, buyers are at a disadvantage because there is no easy way for them to find information regarding the different types of services offered by sellers or to obtain the best pricing without a great deal of effort. As a result, buyers do not know whether they are getting the best possible deal from the seller. In other words, the seller usually controls the buy-sell process.
Second, sellers typically have to exert much money and effort in the form of advertising and staff to solicit business from buyers. A substantial part of the price of telecommunication services is driven by these factors.
Therefore, there is a need to level the playing field for the purchase of telecommunication services by allowing buyers to have more control in the buy-sell process, and a need to reduce the expense incurred by sellers to contact buyers ready to purchase their services.